1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention is designed for providing a multi-stage parachute apparatus utilized with illuminating flares, war missiles, research probes and other devices which are propelled to high speeds by rockets or other propulsion means and utilizes parachutes to provide deceleration and a slow rate of descent. Such parachutes commonly utilize a drogue or initial parachute and a main or final parachute.
The purpose of the drogue is to decelerate the payload from its initial high velocity to a slower speed suitable for deployment of the larger and more lightly built main parachute. This transition from the drogue to the main chute is referred to as "staging". This staging is usually accomplished by some type of mechanism within the payload which causes the drogue to be released and the main parachute to be deployed.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
Examples of prior art structures are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,604 patented Sep. 12, 1972 to L. Guilfoyle on a Parachute Stowage and Deployment; U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,095 patented Feb. 24, 1976 to H. Asciutto on a Parachute Assembly; U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,276 patented Nov. 15, 1977 to H. Brown on a Pilot Chute Crown Line Attachment System; U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,063 patented May 2, 1978 to L. Caffey on a Parachute Suspension Line Stowage Device; U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,568 patented Oct. 2, 1979 to G. Drew et al on a Hermetically Sealed Parachute Container; U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,930 patented Jun. 25, 1985 to M. Lindgren et al on a Inflation-Controlled Parachute; U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,109 patented Nov. 18, 1986 to J. Sadeck on a Low Altitude Parachute System; U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,150 patented May 8, 1990 to R. Calkins et al on a Parachute Spring Ring Release; U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,099 patented May 22, 1990 to R. Emerson et al on an Aerodynamic Controllably Vented Pressure Modulating Drogue; and also U.S. Pat. No. 2,358,417 issued to J. R. C. Quilter et al; U.S. Pat. No. 2,399,100 issued to U. H. Carr; U.S. Pat. No. 2,978,212 issued to J. A. Istel et al; U.S. Pat. No. 2,995,323 issued to C. L. Dann; U.S. Pat. No. 3,047,261 issued to V. G. Bookelmann; U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,621 issued to J. Martin and U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,143 issued to H. Engle, Jr.